Why can't they all be friends in Wycombe? (From Bucks Free Press)

Lib Dems and Tories confuse me

11:59am Friday 3rd December 2010 in Opinion By Steve Cohen

I CAN’T wait for next year’s district council elections in my home town of High Wycombe, but I must admit to being confused over who to vote for.

Wycombe is currently run by the Tories and there is a strong Lib Dem opposition who have been stressing recently in the Bucks Free Press that it’s their job to scrutinise and criticise when they think appropriate.

They have been particularly at loggerheads during the debate over a new community stadium for Wycombe.

And I agree that scrutinising and criticising where appropriate is the right thing for an opposition to do. But one thing puzzles me.

Normally at local election time, the various parties enlist some national big hitters to help them.

So perhaps the Lib Dems can call on their national leader Nick Clegg who grew up in Bucks, to join them and bash the Tories?

Or possibly the Conservatives can bring in their PM David Cameron whose constituency is only down the road, to come to Wycombe to give the Lib Dems a whack?

But hang on a mo’. Aren’t Dave and Nick best mates now? Aren’t the Tories and Lib Dems sharing power nationally? So if they are brothers in Westminster, why are they such enemies in Wycombe?

It doesn’t make sense, although I am sure politicians of all sides could give me an essay on why the national scene is different from the local one.

In the end for me, though, there is just one logical solution: ban party politics from local government altogether.

Set up a system that ensures our councillors never have to wear party colours and they all sit as independent taxpayers on our behalf, rather than towing party lines or whips.

But then, what do I know?